After my first
visit to Taal, Batangas in May 2009, my next follow-up trip was October of that
same year. That time, I was with another
group of friends and we intend to set foot on the volcano itself.
We took the road
to Talisay, Batangas and for first timers like us, it was one hell of a
ride. The slopes of the road will keep
the driver to the edge of his seat and with so many turns to watch for, the
brake of the car will be fully tested. I
was able to experience the roads of Baguio and Antipolo going to the Quezon
province but they were nothing compared with the road in Talisay.
As we experienced
each sharp turn within the stretch of the road, from a distance, Taal volcano
looked inviting. That particular time,
the weather as good and we could clearly see the island volcano.
We arrived safely
at our holding area. Since no one among
us is familiar with the place, we opted to take a guided tour to the
volcano.
After parking the
car, our lady tour guide directed us towards the loading part of the lake. Upon reaching the main road of Talisay,
boatmen are lining on the side of the road and offer their boats for a minimal
amount towards Taal volcano. If you are
good in negotiation, you can hire a boat for as low as 800 pesos. And if only we were aware of the rates, most
probably, we didn't have to resort to a guided tour.
Anyway, the boats
that take the visitors to Taal volcano are all equipped with life vests. For safety reasons, all passengers are
required to put on a life vest during the course of sailing. And although this is a lake, contrary to our
understanding, waves are also present.
The boat ride
towards the volcano is about 20 minutes.
After getting off the boat, our lady guide brought us to the horse’s
station. It was a busy day most
especially for the locals living in the volcano island. There were so many tourists that time and
people simply come and go. For the
locals, it was another great day for them to earn their living.
I learned that
most of the people manning the horses, young and old alike, don’t actually own
the horses. They simply work for a
certain amount for a day’s work. The
usual rate for a horse is from 500-1500 pesos, depending on the season. According to my guide, he receives 100 pesos
per trip. And with the number of
rotating horses in the area, they would normally take a break for a couple of
days before they can man their horse again.
Actually, it is
not a requirement to ride a horse towards the view deck of the crater of Taal
volcano. Some visitors opted to walk
towards the crater and most likely, it would take one an hour or more before
reaching the view deck. To be honest, it
was a first time for all of us to ride a horse. And given the trail that we had
to follow, it was a good idea after all.
If you want to
visit Taal volcano, make sure to bring some must-have stuff like water, cap,
and a hanky to cover your face from dust.
In a clear and sunny day, expect the heat of the sun and the
overwhelming cloud of dust in some parts of the trail.
the road to Talisay, Batangas
docking area in Talisay, Batangas
to Taal volcano
the horses station in Taal volcano island
towards Taal volcano's crater
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